Despite being in the French Literature Department, I had never visited Europe. After joining the university, I knew I wanted to travel to Europe at least once to further my academics and the purpose of developing my future career. That’s what sparked my decision.

While searching, I found that the European study programs available at Sophia University during spring break were limited to France or Hungary. I debated between the two countries but ultimately chose Hungary because it offered a longer program and more opportunities to learn about the culture.

When I first heard that seven of us from Sophia University would be living together in one apartment for a month and a half, I was anxious about whether we would all get along since none of us knew each other beforehand.

I carefully prepared in order to cook my own meals there because it is easy to get sick in an unfamiliar environment. I brought a full set of Japanese seasonings and three kilograms of rice that I could take overseas. I also bought a microwaveable rice cooking gadget at a Japanese 100-yen shop, which proved very useful during my stay.

Most classes were small, with fewer than 20 students. The biggest difference compared to Japan was how often we were asked to speak up and express our opinions in class. There were exams, too, but they were mostly essay-based and required us to articulate our thoughts.

Travel! During my six-week stay, I had five weekends and took trips every week to nearby countries, such as Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, and Malta.

I realized that Budapest has incredibly diverse cuisine. There are many Asian supermarkets and restaurants from various countries, so you never have trouble finding a good meal. I also enjoyed meeting many friendly people who are passionate with kind hospitality, like the staff at a Korean restaurant who became my friends or the people at an Italian restaurant who were generous to always offer free tiramisu.

A fellow student in the same program met a Japanese music student from a university in Budapest. They invited all seven program participants to a piano concert on the spot hat was scheduled that exact day. We were delighted by the outstanding performances by students from both Hungary and Japan. I was very grateful for this wonderful opportunity.

I left my backpack on the bus and rushed to the terminal to retrieve it. I thought it was unlikely to be found, but fortunately, I managed to get it back. This taught me that making action is better than just being passive and waiting for things to happen.

If you feel compelled to see or learn, I believe it’s worth the effort to give it a try. While it could be somewhat challenging, I encourage everyone to go for it without hesitation.